1. Technical Field
The invention concerns a device for housing the active and passive nodal point modules of telecommunication installations in the ground. The device comprises a metal container having a removable cover thereon and a removable support for the modules therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A temperature problem often arises with the above-ground installation of electronic components in the usual housings, due to the dissipation of power by the components and the high ambient temperatures when the housing is warmed by the sun's radiation. In addition, temperature differences between night and day can form condensation inside the container.
Both humidity and high temperatures can lead to temporary or even permanent malfunction of the electronic components.
A cooling system for communication devices with high power dissipation is known from DE-PS 31 50 166, in which the communication devices are housed in a container made of a very heat-conductive material installed in the ground, so that good heat dissipation takes place. The communication devices are connected in a heat-conductive manner to the wall of the container. Additional cooling is provided by a tubing system filled with a coolant, wherein the liquid circulates due to temperature and density differences alone.
This container has a number of disadvantages. First, it is very heavy and therefore expensive. Second, the communication devices are hard to access when it is necessary for work to be performed on the communication devices. Furthermore, the tubing system significantly increases the manufacturing cost and the installation work.
An underground container with a removable holder for the electronic components is known from DE-GM 295 02 938. The container is preferably made of steel, so that a large portion of the heat generated by the components can be dissipated into the surrounding ground via heat conduction. The transmission of heat from the components to the container wall takes place mostly through convection. However, this type of heat dissipation is insufficient when the container is densely filled with the components